1. Field of the invention
The field of invention relates to game apparatus for a group of participants each of which is competitively attempting to be the first to identify the subject matter of a concealed clue as additional portions of the clue are randomly exposed to the participants.
2. Description of the prior art
Game structures of various types have been utilized in the prior art to associate game cards and objects relative to the game cards. A number of question-and-answer or trivia games have also found favor recently. There have been several board games proposed which have a state, country, or principality as a theme.
The curiosities of the various members of our society are constantly driven to seek challenges whereby our wits, knowledge and skills can be pitted against other individuals in a competitive manner. For example, riddles, trivia quizzes, and word games have been commonly used by radio and television broadcasters as well as newspaper and magazine publishers to accomplish one or more of these objectives. Many times these applications are presented in a serial manner with additional hints provided sequentially to entice and induce greater interest as individuals repeatedly return to the same media to participate in and to remain cognizant of the progressive development toward an ultimate solution and conclusion.
One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,793 to Sigle discloses a picture identification game for competitive determination of the identity of the subject matter of a partially exposed picture. The picture is initially concealed with cover pieces of opaque material removably secured in an adjacent relationship to a protective window superimposed in front of the picture. U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,752 to Brothers discloses a territory trivia game bearing a map or a representation of a particular state or territory, and that representation is divided into eight color coded sections or regions. Each section represents a different region of the state or territory. The object is to answer questions while the transit piece occupies a city station earning a collection piece. The winner of the game is the first player to earn all eight collection pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,848 to Maguire et al discloses a game involving the guessing of concealed words through definitional and phonetic clues. When the words are properly guessed, the player covers a score board space corresponding to the random number. As play progresses, the score board spaces become full and influence strategy. The first player to fill their board wins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,465 to Dawson discloses a shape recognition game wherein a plural series of cards provides excessively greater clues relative to a particular configuration. Points are awarded based upon solving a random shape by the clues at a greater rate than upon earlier solving of clues.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,714,127 to Graham discloses a picture puzzle comprising a picture-bearing sheet having detachable portions each bearing a part of a complete picture and interposed non-detachable portions each bearing a part of the same complete picture. In using the puzzle, the detachable portions are removed from the device, shuffled, and then replaced a piece at a time to solve the puzzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,175,591 to Beneteau discloses an educational game of the geographic type. U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,071 to Treinis discloses a puzzle game wherein the player may be provided with clues and, based upon the clues, may manipulate the parts of the device to work out a solution.